drop cloth systems include drop cloths having edge supports extending along two opposite edges of the drop cloths for preventing folding of the opposite edges along which the edge supports extend. Extending between the edge supports is at least one spring strip having the property of being substantially straight when unwound to maintain the drop cloths substantially spread out on the surface area to be protected. Also the spring strips have the property of being windable to permit the drop cloths to be rolled up from one of the opposite edges along which the edge supports extend for easy storage and transportation when not in use.
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1. A drop cloth system for use in protecting a surface area of a floor or other surface area against splatter during painting or otherwise coating an other surface, comprising a drop cloth and a support assembly for maintaining the drop cloth spread out on the surface area to be protected, the drop cloth having opposite end edges and opposite side edges, and the support assembly comprising stiff edge supports extending along substantially the entire length of two of the opposite edges of the drop cloth for preventing folding of the opposite edges along which the edge supports extend, and at least one spring strip means extending from one of the edge supports to the other edge support, the spring strip means being windable when extended between the edge supports to permit the drop cloth to be rolled up from one of the opposite edges along which the edge supports extend with the spring strip means wound up inside the rolled up drop cloth, and when the rolled up drop cloth is released, the spring strip means unwinds to unroll the drop cloth and the spring strip means is substantially straight when unwound to maintain the drop cloth substantially spread out on the surface area to be protected.
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The present invention relates to drop cloth systems for use by painters when protecting a surface area of a floor or other surface area against splatter during painting or otherwise coating some other surface such as a wall or ceiling and the like.
Drop cloths made, for example, of fabric, plastic or canvas (hereinafter collectively “drop cloths”) are commonly used to protect surface areas such as floors against splatter during painting or otherwise coating another surface such as a wall or ceiling or the like. A problem with previous known drop cloths is the time it takes to spread them out where desired for use and refold them after use. Another problem is making the drop cloths stay flat on the floor and being able to easily move them from one location to another without any soiled areas on the top surface of the drop cloths folding over and coming into contact with the floor or other surface area to be protected.
The present invention overcomes these and other problems by providing drop cloth systems that are fast and easy to position during use, and are also fast and easy to roll up for ease of storage and transportation when not in use. Moreover, the drop cloth systems of the present invention maintain the drop cloths substantially flat on the surface area to be protected without bunching up during use, and are easily moved from one location to another for fast and precise positioning without concern that any splattered areas on the drop cloths will fold over and come into contact with the floor or other surface area being protected.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the drop cloth systems include drop cloths having edge supports extending along two opposite edges of the drop cloth for preventing folding of the opposite edges along which the edge supports extend, and at least one spring strip extending between the edge supports, the spring strip having the property of being substantially straight when unwound to maintain the drop cloth substantially spread out on the surface area to be protected.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the support assemblies may be removably connected to the drop cloths to permit the support assemblies to be removed for cleaning or replacement of the drop cloths.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the spring strips have the property of being windable to permit the drop cloths to be rolled up from one of the opposite edges along which the edge supports extend and may be maintained rolled up using straps or ties and the like for easy storage and transportation when not in use.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the drop cloths may be comprised of multiple layers including a moisture-repellent bottom layer, a moisture-absorbent middle layer, and a top layer that allows moisture to pass therethrough for absorption by the middle layer.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, two or more support assemblies may be attached to a single drop cloth with the edge supports of each support assembly extending along the same opposite edges of the drop cloths in end-to-end relation to each other with spacing between adjacent ends of the edge supports to permit the drop cloth to be folded between the edge supports with any soiled portions of the drop cloth facing each other and then rolled into a tube for easy storage and transportation when not in use.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, one or more rolled up drop cloth systems may be placed on the surface area to be protected and released to allow the spring strips to unwind the drop cloths so the drop cloths are substantially spread out on the surface area to be protected.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the drop cloth systems may be moved from one location to another on the surface area to be protected while the drop cloths are maintained spread out by the edge supports and the unwound spring strips.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, two or more of the drop cloth systems may be placed on the surface area to be protected with one of the drop cloth systems trailing another of the drop cloth systems, and the trailing drop cloth system may be moved ahead of the other drop cloth system during painting or coating along a wall or the like as the painting or coating progresses along the wall.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, two of the drop cloth systems may be placed on top of each other with any splattered sides of the drop cloths facing each other and rolled up together into a tube and maintained rolled up using straps or ties or the like for easy storage and transportation when not in use.
These and other advantages, features and aspects of the present invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds.
To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the invention, then, comprises the features hereinafter more fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims, the following description and the annexed drawings setting forth in detail certain illustrative embodiments of the invention, these being indicative, however, of but several of the various ways in which the principles of the invention may be employed.
The present invention may be more readily understood by reference to the following drawings in which:
Referring now more particularly to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals are used to designate like parts, and initially to
As shown in
Regardless of the material of the drop cloth 2, the support assembly 3 therefor includes rigid or stiff edge supports 9, 10 extending along two of the opposite side edges 11, 12 or end edges 13, 14 of the drop cloth for preventing folding of the opposite edges along which the edge supports 9, 10 extend. In addition, the support assembly 3 includes at least one spring strip 16 extending between the edge supports 9, 10 having the property of being unwindable and substantially straight when unwound to maintain the drop cloth substantially spread out as schematically shown in
If desired, the spring strip 16 may be made of metal or plastic or a combination thereof as long as the spring strip exhibits the properties previously described. For example, the spring strip 16 may be a length of spring steel 17 having a curved cross section as shown in
As to the drop cloth system 1 shown in
Where opposite ends 33, 34 of the spring strip 16 are fixedly attached to the edge supports 9, 10 as schematically shown in
Alternatively, the edge supports 9′, 10′ of the drop cloth system 1′ may be made of a stiff material that is adhesively bonded or otherwise permanently affixed to opposite edges of the drop cloth 2′ as schematically shown in
Because the spring strip 16 has the property of being substantially straight when unwound, and the edge supports 9, 10 prevent folding of the opposite edges of the drop cloth 2 along which the edge supports extend, the support assembly will maintain the drop cloth substantially spread out on the surface area to be protected without bunching up. Further, the support assembly will allow the drop cloth to be easily moved from one location to another for fast and precise positioning without the possibility of the soiled top surface of the drop cloth folding over and coming into contact with the floor or other surface area being protected. Yet because the spring strip 16 also has the property of being windable, the drop cloth 2 can easily be rolled up from one of the edges along which the edge supports 9, 10 extend and maintained rolled up using straps or ties 38 or the like that may include hook-and-loop fasteners to releasably secure the straps or ties around the rolled up drop cloth for maintaining the drop cloth rolled up as shown in
If a greater spring force is needed to cause the rolled up drop cloth to unwind and maintain the drop cloth spread out on the floor or other surface area being protected, two or more spring strips 16″ may be provided between the edge supports 9″, 10″ as shown in solid lines in
Two such drop cloth systems 1 may conveniently be used on a job by placing one of the spread out drop cloths behind another spread out drop cloth, and moving the trailing drop cloth ahead of the other drop cloth during painting or otherwise coating a wall or the like as the painting or coating progresses along the wall. When the job is completed, one drop cloth system may be placed on top of the other drop cloth system with the soiled sides of the drop cloths facing each other and then rolled up together into a tube and maintained rolled up together using straps or ties as before for easy storage and transportation when not in use.
Where there is a need for a longer or wider drop cloth system 1′″, two (or more) support assemblies 3′″ may be attached to a single drop cloth 2′″ with the edge supports 9′″, 10′″ of each support assembly extending along the same opposite edges 11′″, 12′″ of the drop cloth in end-to-end relation to each other with a slight space or gap 40 between adjacent ends of the edge supports as schematically shown in
Although the invention has been shown and described with respect to certain embodiments, it is obvious that equivalent alterations and modifications will occur to others skilled in the art upon the reading and understanding of the specification. In particular, with regard to the various functions performed by the above-described components, the terms (including any reference to a “means”) used to describe such components are intended to correspond, unless otherwise indicated, to any component which performs the specified function of the described component (e.g., that is functionally equivalent), even though not structurally equivalent to the disclosed component which performs the function of the herein illustrated exemplary embodiments of the invention. In addition, while a particular feature of the invention may have been disclosed with respect to only one embodiment, such feature may be combined with one or more other features as may be desired and advantageous for any given or particular application.
Bukovitz, Richard K., Scott, Sr., John L., Zimmerman, Michael L.
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Executed on | Assignor | Assignee | Conveyance | Frame | Reel | Doc |
Aug 30 2007 | BUKOVITZ, RICHARD K | The Wooster Brush Company | ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS | 019774 | /0260 | |
Aug 30 2007 | SCOTT, JOHN L , SR | The Wooster Brush Company | ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS | 019774 | /0260 | |
Aug 30 2007 | ZIMMERMAN, MICHAEL L | The Wooster Brush Company | ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS | 019774 | /0260 | |
Aug 31 2007 | The Wooster Brush Company | (assignment on the face of the patent) | / |
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